SATURDAY POTPOURRI: CAPTURING MOMENTS & STARTING OVER…

 

When I created the new blog header above, I searched through some old photos and found this one I adore …my ubiquitous bench surrounded by Disney characters and books.  Things missing from my current home…except for the bench, of course.

 

The ubiquitous bench in its current iteration, at the foot of my bed:

 

 

 

I spent many happy years with books and Disney figurines…and I’m glad I took photos of them.  Now I am rebuilding my bookshelves, although I am pretty sure that I will never have as many hardcover books as I once did.  At one time, I had 1400 books, and before I moved, I had around 800…I think.

Here is the “embryonic stage” of my growing shelf:

 

There is something glorious about starting over from scratch…but I do miss what once was.  My photos will remind me, however, and will inspire me moving forward.

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Today is Saturday, and I’ve been enjoying my reading and blogging, alone in my apartment.  Bliss!

What do you like to do on a Saturday?

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REVIEW: TWELVE HOUSES, BY OLGA SOAJE

 

 

When Amelia Weiss, well-known sculptor, loses her beloved husband Nathan after thirty-five years, there is a huge hole in her life. In her heart. She is paralyzed by the pain and grief, and finds it impossible to resume her sculpting. Her life in Seattle feels strange and empty.

Her grown children, Chloe and David, hover for awhile and then go on with their lives. In fact, Chloe has always been just out of her mother’s reach, distant, and with Nathan gone, there is nobody to forge the gap between them. Amelia’s mind carries her back to when she and Nathan were young and living in San Francisco. Her memories soothe her.

But when Chloe calls and asks her mother to visit in San Francisco, Amelia is anxious, but also hopeful for their relationship. Can the two of them find each other at last? While there, a connection between them seems to be growing. Then Amelia discovers that her daughter is pregnant.

Meanwhile, Amelia’s agent is pressuring her to complete pieces for an exhibit in New York, scheduled for October. How can Amelia even think of working? But something happens that spurs her on, and soon she is back in Seattle and productive again.

But Chloe is having a problem pregnancy and needs her mother. Will Chloe’s needs shove Amelia’s own aside? And what about Chloe’s handsome boss who seems interested in Amelia? Is it too soon for romance?

Astrology is a delightful theme in Twelve Houses, taking Amelia back to the days when she regularly sought readings and studied astrology. She reconnects with old friends and begins writing a column for a local newspaper.

This story had so many layers, and throughout, I could almost feel the push and pull as the various elements seemed to tug at Amelia, demanding things from her that seemed impossible. As she flew back and forth between Seattle, San Francisco, and then Boston, I had to sigh from the exhaustion of it all. Chloe’s demands and her attitude toward her mother made her an unlikeable character. At her age (thirty), I would expect a greater maturity. However, she begins to evolve after the birth of her daughter and by the end of the story. Has life come full circle?

For those who enjoy stories about love, loss, and starting over. 5 stars.